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Cyclists, motorists have to eliminate ‘right-of-way’ thinking

We’d all be better off if everybody — motorists, cyclists, pedestrians — would stop thinking they have the right of way.

Bill Brack (left) and Allan de la Plante with their "lovelies." (Special to the Toronto Star)

By Norris McDonaldWheels Editor

Fri., June 27, 2014

Welcome to Toronto Star Wheels’ third annual bicycle issue.

Bicycles have wheels, so belong in this section. And as urban transportation evolves, bicycles and cycling will more and more become part of the mix.

Our article lineup is detailed below, with pointers to the pages where you’ll find them. I think you’ll be surprised at the scope of cycling’s current state as well as urban and suburban plans for the future.

Now, the last time I rode a bike regularly — and by that, I mean daily — was when I was a kid in Kapuskasing. There was hardly any traffic and you didn’t really have to follow the rules (although the public school principal, Ross MacDonald, could be a tyrant if he saw you making a turn on the street without signaling; you were guaranteed to hear about it the next day).

That doesn’t mean I haven’t ridden since. My youngest son and I would often cycle for kilometers on trails in Toronto’s Taylor Creek Park; my adult children are veterans of bike lanes and while I would sometimes mount up for exercise rides on side streets, I would never think of commuting to work downtown on two wheels, as they (particularly my oldest son) have for years.

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And the reason that I won’t ride my bike downtown is because I am very aware of the perilous state of the relationship between cyclists and motorists. I live in fear of harming a cyclist — not because of something I would do but because of the sometimes knuckle-headed behaviour displayed by some of them.

Before the phone calls and emails of outrage start coming in, I hasten to say there are as many — probably even many more — knuckle-headed motorists on the roads as there are knuckle-headed cyclists. But I’m not one of them. I am a defensive driver to a fault and if cyclists would be as defensive to a fault as I am, I don’t think we’d have as many problems in Toronto as we have, judging by the number of car-cyclist collisions reported (31,000-plus since 1986).

As I see it, the problem is the “I have the right-of-way” attitude prevalent on our roadways. In the end, it doesn’t matter who has the right-of-way because the bigger person or thing is always going to come out on top anyway.

For instance, my wife is a pedestrian. She does not drive; she does not have a driver’s licence. The light turns green and she’s off the curb like a shot. Some jerk in a car is going to make his right turn, come hell or high water. I will slow down my walk, or even stop, to let the guy make his turn. My wife will charge right through and will either force the guy to stop or else curse when he nearly runs over her toes.

“I have the right-of-way,” she will say.

“Tell me that when he hits you and you are lying on the road dying,” I reply. “In fact, I’ll put that on your tombstone: ‘She had the right-of-way.’ ”

Many cyclists think they have the right of way. I wish they would stop thinking like that. In fact, I wish everybody — motorists, cyclists, pedestrians — would stop thinking like that.

We’d all be better off.

There is a place where you can go as fast as you want and even demand the right-of-way and that’s the race track, or speedway. This weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, several events are taking place to celebrate all of that.

First, today and tomorrow, the Glory Days Celebration of Speed is on tap. Just about everything having to do with the motor sport is on offer, including a hillclimb competition (my old pal Bill Brack, three-time Canadian Driving Champion, has entered), soap box derby, an auction of interesting cars and motorcycles, a “Dreamscape” car and bike show, a “Rolling Road Show” where car and motorcycle manufacturers will demonstrate their latest models, lapping sessions of the Mosport Grand Prix circuit in your own car (behind a pace car, of course), children’s amusements and much more.

Now, for years, former racing drivers, crew members, fans and support workers (marshals, safety team members, reporters and photographers) have been gathering during the week leading up to the Honda Indy Toronto for what has jokingly been called the Old Farts Reunion.

Usually it is held in downtown Toronto. A bunch of people show up. This year, the fifth (how time flies, eh?) Old Farts Reunion will be part of Glory Days and it is scheduled for tonight.

The Old Farts is the brainchild of two of Canada’s most prominent motorsports personalities — Bill Brack, the previously-mentioned Canadian driving champion, and Allan de la Plante, who was Gilles Villeneuve’s official photographer and remains among the greatest snappers on the planet.

Said Brack: “I am thrilled that the reunion will be at Mosport. Allan and I both have a lot of history there and I intend to be making new history out on the Glory Days Hillclimb in the same STP Lotus that I drove to the Formula Atlantic championships. It is going to be a great weekend for everybody!”

Added Allan: “It gets bigger every year. To return to the track where most of us cut our teeth is a big event for me as I know it is for Bill. I just want to shoot that hill climb! Goodwood, you have a rival in the making!”

And to any and all old farts who are planning to attend, two things: One, it will cost $35 for dinner and if you haven’t done so already, you’d better let them know you’re coming so they’ll have enough. Email: info@glorydayscelebrationofspeed.com . Two, it’s not stag; may the lovelies be with you.

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